Telephone coin return assembly



Dec. 31, 1963 w. 5. EN0 ETAL 3,116,013

TELEPHONE COIN RETURN ASSEMBLY Filed June 28, 1962 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 T0CO/N GHU TE AND CO/N HOPPER T0 VOID SPACE TELEPHONE HOUSING M. 5. EN0/Nl/ENTOE$ M R HALL A 7' TOR/V5 V Dec. 31, 1963 w. 5. EN0 E LTAL3,116,013

TELEPHONE COIN RETURN ASSEMBLY Filed June 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ToFIG. 3 com CHUTE COIN HOPPER 7'0 VOID SPACE IN 25 TELEPHONE HOUSING FIG.5

- m S. E N0 3; uvvavrons R HALL A 7' TORNE V United States Patent C ice3,116,013 TELEPHGNE CGEN RETURN ASSEMhLY Willi-er S. Eno and Norris R.Hall, Indianapolis, Ind, assignors to Bell Telephone Laboratories,incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 28,1962, Ser. No. 206,064 9 Claims. (Cl. 232 -57.5)

This invention relates to coin telephones and more specifically to cointelephone, coin-return apparatus and its principal object is to enhancethe security aspects of such apparatus.

Coin telephones typically include a means for refunding deposited coinsin the event of an uncompleted call. Coins accepted as genuine by thecoin chute mechanism are normally directed to a coin hopper. In thehopper coins are controlled by a three-position vane mechanism which inits normal or unope-rated position blocks each of two hopper coin outletchannels pending a determination of whether a call is completed oruncom-pleted. Upon the completion of a call, the operator applies asignal of a particular polarity to operate the vane mechanisrn to directthe coins in the hopper to the coin box for collection. For anuncompleted call the operator transmits a signal of opposite polarityand the vane mechanism swings in the opposite direction, therebyreleasing the coins to a coin return receptacle where they are madeavailable to the customer. Coins may also enter the coin returnreceptacle directly from the coin chute if they have been rejected asspurious as a result of failing to pass one or more of the tests imposedby the chute mechanism.

Heretofore, the construction of coin return receptacles has permittedunscrupulous persons to stuff the lower portion of the coin channel inthe receptacle with foreign material such as a sponge or crumpled paperfor example, thereby blocking the re-turn of coins to the lower portionof the receptacle enclosure where they are intended to be made availableto customers entitled to a refund. After a period of time the fraudulentperson may return to the coin telephone, removing the stuffing materialand collect all the coins that were intended to be refunded during hisabsence.

Although swinging bucket-type entrance doors for coin return receptacleshave reduced the type of fraud indicated above, such fraud has not beeneliminated. Presently known arrangements merely require the exercise ofmore ingenuity on the part of the person with fraudulent intent. Forexample, bent wire hooks have been employed to force stuffing materialaround the buckettype entrance doors in order to block off the coinreturn channel. Additionally, bits of sheet metal or wires arefrequently jammed between the side of the entrance door and the body ofthe coin return receptacle to jam the entrance door shut. Such action isof course done with the same fraudulent intent as the action of stuihngthe coin return channel which has been described above. Another type offraud centered around the coin return receptacle is the insertion of awire between the receptacle door and the receptacle housing in anattempt to reach a point in the coin telephone control circuit to whicha false ground may be applied in order to circumvent the requirement forthe deposit of the initial rate.

Accordingly, a specific object of the invention is to reduce thepossibility of blocking-off the coin return channel of a coin telephonewith foreign material.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the possibility ofinserting foreign material between the entrance door of a coil returnreceptacle and the body of the receptacle.

These and other objects are achieved in accordance Miami? Patented Dec.31, 1963 with the principles of the invention by a coin returnreceptacle which includes a dummy or false coin return channel which isfully exposed upon the opening of the entrance door. Further, inaccordance with the invention the position of the swinging access doorwhen in the fully open position fully blocks off the true coin returnchannel from any possible access by the customer. An inner wall memberof the coin return receptacle partially isolates the true coin returnchannel from the dummy coin return channel. This isolation becomescomplete upon the opening of the access door. The access door is pivotedat its upper end and, upon being opened, its free end is designed inaccordance with the invention to come to rest against the wall whichdivides the true coin channel from the dummy coin channel.

With the access door in the fully open position, the mouth of the dummycoin channel is fully exposed to View. From all outward appearances,this channel appears to be a true coin channel and therefore the logicalplace to block off if it is desired to prevent coins from beingreturned. The insertion of foreign material into this channel, however,achieves no purpose since, in accordanoe with the invention, the back ofthe channel is open to the inside of the telephone housing and stuffingmaterial, when rammed in the full length of the dummy coin returnchannel, merely falls harmlessly to the bottom of the coin telephonehousing. More typically, however, stuffing material will merely remainin the mouth of the dummy coin channel.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the access door andthe walls of the return receptacle which frame the access door are soconstructed that the insertion of foreign material between the door andthe receptacle walls is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. Thetwo sides of the rectangular access door are cast in a series of landsand grooves. The inner faces of the receptacle walls are similarlyformed in lands and grooves which are arranged for cooperative meshingwith the lands and grooves of the access lClOOI'. Additionally, thereturn receptacle access door frame includes a raised lip member whichfurther protects the spaces between the sides of the access door and thewalls of the housing.

Accordingly, one feature of the invention is a coin telephone, coinreturn receptacle which includes a false coin return channel.

Another feature of the invention is a pivotally mounted coin returnreceptacle access door which, in its open position, positively blocksoif a true coin return channel and which exposes to view a dummy coinreturn channel.

An additional feature of the invention is a coin return receptacle withlands and grooves on its inner walls which mesh cooperatively withcorresponding lands and grooves on the sides of a pivotally mountedaccess door.

Another feature of the invention is a coin return receptacle access doorframe which includes a lip member which covers any gap between the sidesof the access door and the inner walls of the receptacle which bearagainst the sides of the access door.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be fullyapprehended from the following detailed description of an illustrativeembodiment of the invention and from the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a coin return receptacle in accordance withthe invention as it appears installed in a coin telephone housing;

FlG. 2 is a perspective view of a coin return receptacle in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away cross-section view of a coin returnreceptacle in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the coin return receptacle shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 3, takenalong the dotted line 5-5.

The over-all outside configuration of a coin return receptacle inaccordance with the invention is best shown in FIG. 2. The receptacle l5defines an essentially enclosed space with three openings. Top opening29 provides an entry path for coins from the coin chute and coin hopper(not shown). ear opening 3i) merely connects the interior of coin returnreceptacle 15 to a void space in tele hone housing 11, thus providing aready out let path for any foreign material which may be stuffed intoreceptacle 15. The front opening is provided with an access door 13which is pivoted on pin 23. The front of receptacle 15 includes a'flange 14 which is designed to fit against the outside of the telephonehousing proper as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 the coin return receptacleis shown positioned just to the left of a door 12 which provides a meansof access to the coin box (not shown). FIG. 2 shows the end portion ofan internal wall 1-6 which divides the false coin channel 31 from theactual coin channel 327. The body portion of receptacle 15 which curvesbelow the level of access door 13 provides a pocket-like collection area13 which is designed to hold returned coins until they have beencollooted by a customer. The receptacle 15 may advantageously beconstructed in the form of two separate castings each provided withsuitable drilled tabs or lugs 21 to accommodate fasteners. Thereceptacle itself is held in position in the telephone housing by flangemember 14 and by connecting bolt 23, shown in FIG. 3, which extends froma suitable supporting structure, not shown, in the telephone housing.Connecting bolt 23 is threaded into a drilled and tapped projecting lug22, which is afiixed to the supporting structure, and bears down onraised positioning pad 34.

A more complete view of the internal structure of the coin receptacle isshown in FIG. 3. Internal wall 16 isolates dummy coin return chute 31from actual coin return chute 32. This isolation is complete up to theend 17 of interior wall 16, shown in FIG. 2. With access door 13 in thefully open position, which is shown by dotted access door 13, FIG. 3,isolation between the two coin channels is complete since the lowerportion of access door 13 bears against the end portion 17 of interiordividing wall 16.

The bottom portion of access door 13, FIG. 3, is formed into a tonguemember 19 which protrudes downwardly, thereby permitting only a verylimited access between the door frame opening and coin channel 32 evenwhen access door 13 is in a midway or half-open position. The topportion of access door 13 is formed into a substantially wedge-shapedcounterweight member 2%) which enhances the free pivoting of access door'13.

The cross-section view shown in FIG. 5 illustrates, in particular, thatthe sides of access door 13 include a series of lands 26 and grooves 27.The sides 33 of receptacle 15 include arcuately disposed lands 24 andgrooves '25 which are designed to mesh cooperatively with the lands andgrooves on access door 13 as the door is pivoted on' pin 28. In FIG. 4it is evident that when access door 13 is in the closed position theland and groove joint between access door 13 and housing 15 is protectedand hidden from view by flange member 14. Accordingly, with access door13 in the closed position, it is impossible to wedge foreign materialbetween access door 13 and receptacle walls 33. Even with door 13 in apartially or fully opened condition, the meshing lands and groovesbetween access door 13 and receptacle walls 33 make it difiicult, if notimpossible, to wedge in foreign material of any significant size.

With reference once again to FIG. 3, it is evident that when access door13 is in the fully open position, false coin return channel 31 isaccessible to the extent that it is possible to stick ones fingerthrough the entranceway in order to lodge foreign material in false coinreturn channel 31. It is also evident, however, that stufting foreignmaterial in false coin return channel 31 in the manner described can inno way interfere with the proper operation of the coin returnreceptacle. Access door 13 may still be operated freely and coinsdirected to coin return channel 32 may still drop freely into the lowercollection area 18. In the event that successive attempts are made tostud the coin return channel with foreign material, back-opening 3%provides a free path for such foreign material to drop harmlessly into avoid space in telephone housing 11.

The embodiment of the invention shown and described herein is intendedas merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Numerousother arrangements may be devised by persons skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin telephone, apparatus for receiving returned coins and formaking such coins aavilable to a customer comprising, in combination, areturned-coin housing member including a first opening for the receiptof returned coins, a second opening having customer-actuated accessmeans, and a third opening providing access to the interior of the mainhousing of said telephone, an inner wall member dividing the interior ofsaid housing into rst and second channels, the lower portion of saidhousing including an internally concave bowl portion as a collectionpoint for returned coins, said first channel connecting said bowlportion to said first opening, said second channel connecting said bowlportion to said third opening, said customer actuated access meanscomprising dual means for blocking off said first channel from exteriorview and exposing said second channel to exterior view, whereby thepossibility of introducing foreign material to block off said firstchannel from said bowl portion is substantially eliminated.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said customer-actuatedaccess means comprises an access door, said returned-coin housingincluding a door frame defining the limits of said second opening, saiddoor being pivotally mounted on said door frame, said door bearingagainst said frame in its closed position and having its free endbearing against said well in its open position.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said door frame includesa raised lip member covering the space between the free end and thesides of said door and the walls of said returned-coin housing.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the outer edges of saidaccess door include a first plurality of lands and grooves and whereinthe inside surfaces of the walls of said returned-coin housing whichguide the path of said door in its pivotal movement include a secondplurality of lands and grooves located for cooperative meshing relationwith said first plurality of lands and grooves.

5. In a coin telephone, apparatus for receiving returned coins and formaking such coins available to a customer, said apparatus comprising ahousing including a receptacle portion for storing returned coins untilcollection by a customer, said housing further including a first coinchannel for guiding coins to said receptacle portion and a dummy coinchannel providing an apparent but false location for blocking off saidreceptacle portion from said first coin channel, thereby reducing thepossibility of effectively blocking off said first channel from saidreceptacle portion.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said housing includes aninternal wall member partially isolating said first coin channel fromsaid dummy coin channel, one end of said wall member terminating againstsaid housing and the other end of said wall member being exposed to saidreceptacle portion.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said apparatus includesa manually operated access door having an open and a closed position,said access door in said open position bearing against said other end ofsaid wall member thereby to complete the isolation between said firstcoin channel and said dummy coin channel.

8. In a coin telephone, apparatus for receiving returned coins and formaking such coins available to a customer, said apparatus comprising ahousing including a receptacle portion for storing returned coins untilcollection by a customer, said housing further including a first coinchannel for guiding coins to said receptacle portion, an access doormounted in an accommodating opening in said housing and mounted forpivotal movement in said opening, said door including lands and grooveson its nonpivoted edges, the inner surfaces or the Walls of said housingforming a guiding passageway for the pivotal movement of said door, saidpassageway havin! arcuately disposed lands and grooves for cooperativemeshing relation with the lands and grooves of said door during thepivotal travel of said door, a durnrny coin channel, substantiallyadjacent to said first coin channel, said door in its fully openposition blocking oil said first coin channel and exposing said durnrnycoin channel to said receptacle portion, providing thereby an apparentbut false location for blocking ofi said receptacle portion from saidfirst coin chmnel, whereby the possibility of effectively blocking offsaid first channel from said receptacle portion is substantiallyreduced.

9. In a coin telephone, a coin return receptacle for receiving returnedcoins and for making said coins available to a customer, said receptaclecomprising, in combinatio-n, a housing member including an internallyconcave portion for receiving returned coins, a first channel fordirecting returned coins to said concave portion, a second channeladjacent said first channel, and manually operable common means forexposing said concave portion and said second channel to a customer [forready access and for blocking of? said first channel, whereby a customeris prevented from temporarily blocking sari first channel and wherebysaid second channel, which in effect appears to a customer to be saidfirst channel, may be blocked without impeding the fall of returnedcoins in said first channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A COIN TELEPHONE, APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING RETURNED COINS AND FORMAKING SUCH COINS AVAILABLE TO A CUSTOMER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, ARETURNED-COIN HOUSING MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST OPENING FOR THE RECEIPTOF RETURNED COINS, A SECOND OPENING HAVING CUSTOMER-ACTUATED ACCESSMEANS, AND A THIRD OPENING PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF THE MAINHOUSING OF SAID TELEPHONE, AN INNER WALL MEMBER DIVIDING THE INTERIOR OFSAID HOUSING INTO FIRST AND SECOND CHANNELS, THE LOWER PORTION OF SAIDHOUSING INCLUDING AN INTERNALLY CONCAVE BOWL PORTION AS A COLLECTIONPOINT FOR RETURNED COINS, SAID FIRST CHANNEL CONNECTING SAID BOWLPORTION TO SAID FIRST OPENING, SAID SECOND CHANNEL CONNECTING SAID BOWLPORTION TO SAID THIRD OPENING, SAID CUSTOMER ACTUATED ACCESS MEANSCOMPRISING DUAL MEANS FOR BLOCKING OFF SAID FIRST CHANNEL FROM EXTERIORVIEW AND EXPOSING SAID SECOND CHANNEL TO EXTERIOR VIEW, WHEREBY THEPOSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING FOREIGN MATERIAL TO BLOCK OFF SAID FIRSTCHANNEL FROM SAID BOWL PORTION IS SUBSTANTIALLY ELIMINATED.